Puzzle



J. V. 'WELLS PUZZLE. APPLlcATloN HLE'DAPR'. n, 192e= 1,377,039. Patented May a, 192,1.

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from/frs ,UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEg-' JOHN VANDEVER PUZZLE.

Application inea Aprii'w, 1920. serial Nb. 374,620.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VANDEVER WELLS, a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Puzzle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to puzzles, and has reference more particularly to railroad puzzles and the construction of same.

An object of this invention is to provide a puzzle which will be instructive and highly amusing to both old and young.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple construction for the puzzle which may be easily and cheaply made.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speci` cation, in which it is understood that the drawing illustrates only' one form of the 1nvention, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one-half of the box which contains one of my improved railroad puzzles..

Fig. 2 is a plan viewer` the other half of the box showinganother of my railroad puzzles. y

Fig. 8 is a section through the box and the puzzles on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on a large scale through the puzzle on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on a large scale through the puzzle on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a central sectionalview on a large scale through one of the cars used in my puzzles. Y

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe car shown in Fig. 6. Y

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 10 indicates a rectangular box having a bottom 11, said box telescoping into a similar rectangular box 12 having a bottom 13. The two boxes 10 and 12 are spaced apart by means of a rib 14 formed in the box 10. f While 1 have illustrated a railroad puzzle in each of the boxes 10 and Specification of Letters Patent. Y

WELLS', OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN YUENGLING, OFV MORRISTOWN,' NEW JERSEY.

Patented May 3, 1921.

the box 12 which consists of a main line track 15 into which leads the branches` 16 and 17 of a Y side track. A double sliding switch 18 is provided at the junction of each branch 16 and 17 with the main line 15, and a-single switchk 19 is provided" at the junction of the two branchesl and 17. The inside of the branches 16 and 17 and the inside of the'main line 15 adjacent said branches are provided with lingers 15,L which extend'through Vperiforations in the .bottom 13 so as to hold said branches and main line in place. My puzzles are preferably made of stamped metal and consist of the bottom 13 from which upwardly ex. tending oblique anges 21 are formed which comprise the railroad tracks, and these oblique vflanges engage oblique flanges 22 Jformed in a bottom 23 of railroad cars 'having sides 24. lThe sides 24 are provided on their top edges with outstanding flanges 25 whichl are engaged by anroffset flange l26V of a top 27 which may be arcuate` in cross section. It is desired to make the entire puzzle construction, including the cars, ofl stamped metal so that it can be cheaply out` and pressed into shape by the usefof dies.V Oblique'upstanding flanges 28 are Vformed in the bottom 13 which vengage oblique downwardly extending anges 29 formed von each side of the switches 18 and 19 so as to guide the switches as they are recipro-v cated on the bottomA 13. Each of the switches 18 and 19` is provided with a recess 30 which may be engaged by the finger in sliding the switches back and forth under the flanges 28. The track in the switches 18 is formed by oblique upstanding outside flanges 31 between which is secured a center piece 31a havingl offset flanges 311, clenched under said switch, and the flanges 29 oi. eachswitch -are made to passy the rails 15 by undercutting said rails atan oblique angle 32, so that said rails also serve asv guides for said switches. The movement of the switches 18 .is limited on one end by a side of the box 12, and is limited on the other end by an upstanding liange formed from the bottom 13. A pair of upstanding flanges 34 are formed from the bottom 13 and limit the movement of the switch 19 so that in each extreme position, its car track will register with oneof the branches 16 or 17. -ln the puzzle shown in Fig. 1, preferably two cars designated by the numeral 35 are provided, and one locomotive 36, on which an arrow .37 is inscribed, while numerals 38 are inscribed on the cars 35.Y The object of the puzzle is to so move the cars 35, the locomotive 36, andmanipulate the switches 18 and 19 that the position of the two rcars 35 will be reversed without reversing the direction of the locomotive 36.` Furthermore, neither of the cars'35 can be moved independently without being attached to the locomotive 36, and all the switches have'a capacity for only one car or locomotive at a time.

`Inthe puzzleshown in Fig. 2, two locomotives 36 are provided withV a number of carsg35 forming two trains. A stationary side track 39 having capacity for holding one car or locomotive, is secured to the bottom ll of the box by means of lingers v40 extending through perforations in said bottomand clenched'on the underside thereof. The main line 15b is provided with one switch il constructed similar to the switches 18ofF ig. l, so that cars may be transferred from the main track to .the side track 39. The objectof the puzzle shown in Fig. 2 is toreverse the position'of the two trains by manipulating the switch 4l, always'moving a car with a locomotive. toms ll andl3 may be offset and labels 42 may be pasted thereto which will serve lto cover up the holesformed by the upturned flanges, and will also carry directions for the operation .of the puzzles.

I would state in Vconclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, l do notlimit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same adapted to be slidably received by the track Y can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus. described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent: Y

l. In a railroad puzzle, a metal box pro` Vvided with a bottom, a plurality-of upstand ing oblique flanges formed in said bottom positioned in pairs and adapted to Vform railroad tracks, a plurality of metal cars, a

Vplurality of downwardly extending oblique flanges formed on the bottom of each car Each of the bot` flanges, and a plurality of switches associated with said tracks.

2. A device as described in claim 1, characterized by a downwardly extending oblique flange formed on each side of said switches vadapted to be slidably received by said guide flanges, a track formed in each switch adapted toV register with one track. when said switch is moved to one extreme position and to register with another track when said switch is moved to a second extreme posi-v tion, and means for moving said switch.

3. In a railroadfrpuzzle, a metal box p`rovided with a bottom, a plurality of track flanges formed in said bottom, a plurality of guide yflanges formed in said bottom, `a plurality of switches slidablyreceived by said guide flanges, said track flanges being also adapted to slidably receive said switches, and a plurality of cars slidablyr connected with said track ,iianges i 4. In a puzzle, a metal box, a plurality of oblique track flanges formed in said box, a plurality of switches slidably associated with said track flanges, a plurality of branch tracks associated with said box, and, a plurality `of lingers associated with said branch tracks adapted to extend'through perfora` tions in said box so as to secure said branch tracks to 4said box. Y

V5. In a puzzle, a metal box, a cover therefor, afplurality of oblique track flanges formed in said box, a plurality of switches slidably associated with said` tracks, a plurality of cars having bottoms and sides, a

adaptedl to limit the movementY of said a..

switches, and a plurality of cars slidably connected to said tracks.

JOHN VANDEVER WELLS. 

